3 Takeaways: Royals down Growlers, 4-1

By Allison Shuey/Reading, PA: Here are three takeaways from Reading's 4-1 win over Newfoundland Friday at Santander Arena.

McCarthy hot in December

Chris McCarthy netted two points (1g, 1a) and now has six straight multi-point games. The forward has registered 21 points (6g, 14a) for the month of December.

Thinking outside the box

The sin bin remained empty for all of the first period with the Royals committing the first crime at 14:23 of the second period. Reading allowed one power-play chance and avoided giving up a man-up goal to the league’s third-best man up. The Growlers took three minors throughout the second and third period and the Royals solved the league's second-best penalty kill midway through the third for an insurance strike.

In the Booth

Callum Booth earned his fifth win with the Royals during his first appearance on home ice and sixth game of the season. He denied 23 shots from the North Division leaders and improved to 5-1-0-0 on the season as well as an .888 SV%. Booth manned the net for three straight games for Reading and recorded two previous victories over Newfoundland in early December.